In this prairie landscape watercolor tutorial, I walk you through my full process from start to finish—paper prep, a simple sketch, the first big washes, a second pass to build depth, and then the details that pull everything together. I keep it step-by-step so you can follow along, and I focus on keeping the shapes simple and readable while letting watercolor do what it does best: soft transitions, lost edges, and natural texture. I start by preparing my Arches cold press paper so it’s ready for a lot of water, then I sketch in the main land and sky shapes without overdrawing. After a quick materials rundown (brushes, palette, and paints), I lay in the first wash to establish the overall light and mood. From there, the second wash is where I start pushing contrast, separating planes in the landscape, and shaping the prairie with value changes. Finally, I slow down for details—edges, small marks, and a few controlled strokes—so the foreground and horizon feel intentional without getting fussy. If you’re trying to get more confident with layering washes and building a landscape in stages, this is a solid one to paint along with.